Over the years, I've noticed that it's become more prevalent to see headlines of churches either not disclosing information about abuse to law enforcement, covering up instances of abuse in the name of church unity, both, or worse. One of the books that tackles this topic head on is Becoming a Church That Cares Well for the Abused. Written as a handbook, this is a topic that churches should not neglect when training their staff and lay leaders. Abuse can not only make or break a church, it can make or break people's lives if not handled appropriately.
Please note that there are some grammatical errors in this handbook, which detracted from the reading a little bit, but not so that it would affect the rating.
Book Synopsis
Is your church prepared to care for individuals who have experienced various forms of abuse?
As we continue to learn of more individuals experiencing sexual abuse, domestic violence, and other forms of abuse, it’s clear that resources are needed to help ministries and leaders care for these individuals with love, support, and in cooperation with civil authorities. This handbook seeks to help the church take a significant step forward in its care for those who have been abused.
Working in tandem with the Church Cares resources and videos, this handbook brings together leading evangelical trauma counselors, victim advocates, social workers, attorneys, batterer interventionists, and survivors to equip pastors and ministry leaders for the appropriate initial responses to a variety of abuse scenarios in churches, schools, or ministries.
Though the most comprehensive training is experienced by using this handbook and the videos together, readers who may be unable to access the videos can use this handbook as a stand-alone resource.
Source: Amazon
Book Thoughts
This handbook, connected to the ChurchCares.com curriculum, is one of the most practical resources I've come across regarding how churches can care for the abused, whether the abuser is in the victim's family or someone who is serving with the church. What I love most is that this handbook brings together some of the leading experts who can speak to abuse from a Christian perspective. There is so much helpful content in here about maintaining good relationships with the police, child protective services, social workers, third-party counsellors, and more. I could not have been more delighted that nearly every chapter emphasized the need for churches to report cases to law enforcement where necessary and not to take things into their own hands in the name of reputational damage control.
Though I probably would have gained even more through watching the associated videos, I found that this step-by-step guide was just as useful in knowing what to do next when faced with this situation in a pastoral or ministry setting. I appreciate that this book is victim-centred and does not give abusers a free pass just because they may be nice or because others would never suspect them. In fact, this book delves into the darkness and evil behind abuse, calling it out for what it is. Church leaders will find hope through this handbook as they consider various scenarios to work through, along with the confidence that they can do what's critical to help congregants who are suffering from abuse. This is a handbook that is not to miss!
Book Summary
- Format of book: 📱
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Recommendation: 👍
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